If you are in your 40s and things feel off, changing periods, poor sleep, anxiety, brain fog or hot flushes, you may well be in perimenopause. Perimenopause is the years of hormonal change leading up to your last period, and it commonly starts in your mid-40s, though it can begin earlier. It is usually recognised from your symptoms and their pattern, not a single test.
Common signs of perimenopause
- •Periods that change: closer together, further apart, heavier or lighter.
- •Hot flushes and night sweats.
- •Poor sleep, especially waking in the early hours.
- •Mood changes: anxiety, low mood, irritability or rage.
- •Brain fog, poor memory and trouble concentrating.
- •Joint aches, low libido, vaginal dryness and fatigue.
What age does perimenopause start?
Most women notice perimenopause in their mid-40s, and the average age of menopause (a full year with no periods) in the UK is around 51. Some women start in their late 30s or early 40s. If symptoms come before 45, and especially before 40, it is worth getting checked.
Do I need a blood test to know?
Usually not. In women over 45, perimenopause is diagnosed from symptoms rather than blood tests, because hormone levels fluctuate day to day and can be misleading. Blood tests are more useful when symptoms start young or the picture is unclear.
How to find out what is going on
The clearest first step is to map your symptoms and see how they fit together. That gives you, and any clinician you see, a real starting point rather than guesswork, and helps you decide whether you want support or treatment.
How Solene fits
Solene starts with a free online check that maps your symptoms and gives personalised advice in minutes. If you want to go further, a nurse prescriber working through a CQC-registered practice can assess you and talk through options, with no GP referral and no waiting list. Solene is the platform, not the clinical provider.
This article is general information, not medical advice or a diagnosis.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know if I am in perimenopause?
It is usually recognised from a pattern of symptoms, such as changing periods, poor sleep, mood changes, hot flushes and brain fog, most often starting in your mid-40s.
What age does perimenopause usually start?
Commonly the mid-40s, though it can begin in the late 30s or early 40s. The average age of menopause in the UK is around 51.
Do I need a blood test to diagnose perimenopause?
Usually not if you are over 45; it is diagnosed from symptoms. Blood tests are more useful when symptoms start young or the picture is unclear.
Can I be in perimenopause and still have periods?
Yes. Perimenopause is the phase before periods stop, so you can have symptoms while still having periods, often irregular ones.
What should I do if I think I am perimenopausal?
Map your symptoms so you have a clear picture, then decide whether you want advice or treatment. A free symptom check is an easy first step.
Think it might be perimenopause?
Map your symptoms in under 10 minutes and get free, personalised advice, then talk to a nurse prescriber if you want to.
